Blockchain Custody Tracking via Hash Extraction and Intermediary Codes
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for tracking custody and authorization of physical concessions, such as controlled substances and sensitive documents, lack secure and reliable methods for ensuring data integrity and privacy, particularly in distributed ledger technologies like blockchain, where sensitive information may be unacceptably disseminated or tampered with.
Innovation Solution
A peer-network-based blockchain system utilizing encrypted and obfuscated data storage and machine-cognizable codes to securely track custody and authorization, ensuring data integrity, privacy, and accuracy by using machine-cognizable codes to verify the correct physical concession and maintain tamper-free records.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If blockchain technology is used to track custody and authorization of physical concessions, then transparency and traceability are improved, but data security and privacy are worsened due to potential unacceptably dissemination or tampering of sensitive information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts sensitive information from the blockchain ledger by storing only hashes and machine-cognizable codes on the distributed ledger, while keeping the actual sensitive data in secure off-chain storage. This separation allows the blockchain to provide traceability and integrity verification without exposing sensitive information to unauthorized dissemination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces machine-cognizable codes as intermediaries between the physical concessions and the blockchain system. These codes enable tracking and verification of custody transfers without requiring the blockchain to store or expose sensitive concession information, thus mediating between transparency requirements and data security concerns.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If encrypted data storage is implemented in blockchain, then data privacy is improved, but system complexity increases due to additional encryption and obfuscation mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary encryption and hashing to sensitive data before storing it in the blockchain or associated storage. By pre-processing data with cryptographic functions (hashing sensitive information, encrypting off-chain storage), the system ensures privacy protection is built-in from the start, reducing the need for complex runtime encryption mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses cryptographic hashes as simplified copies of sensitive data that can be stored on the blockchain. Instead of storing actual sensitive information, the system stores hash values that serve as verifiable but non-revealing representations, reducing complexity compared to full encryption schemes while maintaining privacy.
Data Source
AI summary
A system supports authorization and custody tracking for physical concessions. In some cases, a physical concession or other physical object may be tracked to ensure that custodians that gain possession of the physical concession have proper authorization. Further, custody tracking may ensure that a particular custodian is issued the authorized amount of physical concession(s). Authorization circuitry may, via a peer network, access proof of authorization and custody status stored on a blockchain. Based on the proof of authorization and custody status, the authorization circuitry may determine whether issuance of the physical concession to a receiving custodian is allowed. After allowing/disallowing issuance of the physical concession, tracking circuitry may send, via the peer network, a request to update the blockchain.